An insightful article on energy labeling and how it may or may not impact house values at time of sale. I think that many of us in the energy efficiency community believe the fundamental premise that disclosure of energy data is an important missing link in the value chain of home energy. Appraisers currently have no quantifiable way to associate the value of energy efficiency measures in terms of reduced operating costs, with increased value. However, it has been remarkable hard to correlate energy savings with housing values.

This article does a good job balancing the premise with the available data. This is especially relevant when looked at in the context of the SAVE ACT, legislation moving through congress that may require all federally backed mortgages to include energy bench marking disclosure at time of sale, and that this information is taken into account to allow larger mortgages on more efficient homes.

Washington PostBy Kenneth R. Harney, Published: August 26Home energy efficiency and sustainability have been major policy priorities for the Obama administration, but lurking in the background are two pesky questions: Beyond the documentable savings on utilities bills, do such steps add to the resale value of a home? And do they make it easier to sell your property?

Housing groups and housing officials say definitive data covering multiple regions of the country are scarce. But some localized research projects in Oregon, Washington state and California offer promising hints. (FULL ARTICLE)